River sports such as white water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and the like have become increasingly popular over the years. In each of these sports, one or more participants floats down a river or other body of flowing water in a raft, canoe, kayak or other buoyant vessel. Frequently, the participants are required to navigate the vessel over or around various submerged obstacles such as rocks, fallen tree limbs and the like in the body of water typically by manipulating oars which are submerged in the water to steer the vessel. The speed of the flowing water, as well as the number and types of obstacles which are encountered, offers a challenge to both the skill and the safety of the participants. Therefore, it is important that participants in river sports be properly trained in order to safety participate in these sports.
The types of obstacles which may be submerged in a flowing water body and potentially encountered by a river sport participant include man-made structures such as bridges and dams as well as natural structures such as rocks and fallen trees. The submerged obstacles create a distinctive water flow pattern depending on the type of obstacle. Therefore, it may be desirable for a participant in a river sport to recognize the water flow patterns created by various obstacles which may be submerged in a body of flowing water. Recognition of the water flow pattern may enable the participant to safely navigate over or around the submerged obstacle during the course of floating the water body.
Accordingly, a water flow pattern simulation tank which simulates water flow patterns produced by various types of obstacles submerged in a body of flowing water is needed for water sport training or other purposes.